Trying to Escape Death: Becoming Entangled in Sin

One finds an idea in the church Fathers that not only does sin lead to death, but also death leads to sin. Archimandrite Zacharias comments on this idea in one of his books:

“In his anguish, man devises ways of escaping the reality of death, and seeks refuge in the passions. But this only takes him deeper into sinfulness, and death only looms the larger. Hence the tragic vicious cycle that characterizes the human condition: in order to live in spite of death, man seeks pleasure in the passions in a deluded attempt to prolong and give purpose to this present life. Thus he becomes increasingly entangled in the unbearable threat and power and of death. The more he sins, the more death prevails. As Scripture says, death is the greatest enemy of man. It is because of his fear of death that man is subject to the bondage of sin.” (Remember Thy First Love, pg. 300)